


gift bags & iced buns

by benscallum



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, M/M, lexi & callum mostly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21974452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benscallum/pseuds/benscallum
Summary: “You can’t open your present until Christmas, those are the rules,” Ben says to him, and he looks to Lexi for confirmation. She gives him a stern nod.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	gift bags & iced buns

**Author's Note:**

> written for one of the prompts from the ballum prompt list, "this present is for you, callum! daddy helped me wrap it!"
> 
> didn't do it word for word because it didn't feel like it fit, and this is probably ooc so i apologise for that!
> 
> also its a pre-christmas fic that im posting after christmas are we shocked

The market is a lot busier than usual, which makes sense, seeing as it is Christmas. Something would be wrong if there weren’t people rushing around, arms full of bags.

Callum doesn’t mind it. It’s nice to see so many people enjoying the holidays, even if most are frantic shoppers.

He’s standing at Whit’s stall, chatting with her about Christmas Day plans, when he hears his name called.

When he turns, he spots Lexi running towards him, the biggest smile on her face. He can see Ben standing a bit further back, watching his daughter with a smile of his own.

Lexi jumps into his arms before Callum even has time to think about it, but he lifts her with ease, spinning her around. She laughs loudly, reaching for Callum’s hand when he sets her down, pulling him towards where Ben is standing.

He turns back and waves to Whitney, who gives him a wide smile and a wave in response, before following Lexi.

Upon reaching Ben, Lexi takes a gift bag from his hands, holding it out to Callum. “This present is for you!”

He looks to Ben, who nods, “She insisted.”

Before Callum can say anything more, Lexi is speaking again. “Daddy helped me wrap it!”

So Callum kneels down, takes the bag from her hands, and peeks inside. 

Sure enough, there’s a present in there, and just the sight of it makes Callum laugh. He knows Ben isn’t great at wrapping gifts, but Lexi must take after her mother, because it’s surprisingly neat. There’s way more tape than necessary, but it doesn’t look all that messy.

There’s a tag on the side of the gift bag, in the shape of a snowman, and Callum can just about make out some writing on the inside of it.

When he opens it, it reads, “To Callum Merry Christmas lots of love Lexi,” with more kisses than Callum’s ever seen.

The tag makes him smile. He can imagine Lexi sitting at the Beales’ dining table, Ben or Lola helping her to spell his name.

When he turns it over, there’s another little bit of writing, he has to squint slightly to make out what it says.

He manages to make it out, reads it under his breath. “Thank you for making my daddy happy,” with a small smiley face next to it. 

Lexi’s looking up at him, her smile starting to fade a little, and Callum feels his own disappearing at the sight. “What’s up?” He asks her, keeps his voice soft.

“Don’t you like it?” 

He hasn’t opened the actual present yet, but Callum already knows he’ll love it, and he tells Lexi exactly that.

“I love your message, too,” Her smile re-appears, then, and she throws her arms around Callum. He gives her a tight hug, then pulls away and stands, pulling Ben in for a quick kiss.

“You can’t open your present until Christmas, those are the rules,” Ben says to him, and he looks to Lexi for confirmation. She gives him a stern nod. 

“I’ll put it under the tree. Won’t open it until Christmas morning, I promise.” 

If possible, Lexi’s smile grows, and she takes Callum’s free hand in her own, starts pulling him towards the cafe. “Me and daddy are getting iced buns,” she says, as a way of explanation.

“Can I join you?”

She looks up at him like as if he’s just asked the dumbest question in the world, and he laughs, hears Ben give her a chuckle of his own. 

Callum couldn’t wait for Christmas.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @bernietaylors


End file.
